Moraten knocked another shrieker away and swung his staff around, trying to clear some breathing room. He eyed the new arrivals warily, making sure he knew exactly where that big beast was. He hadn't fought this long for a while; he was breathing hard. But at any rate, they needed to get off the street.

Amith wrinkled her brow in confusion as she looked at the beast. It had taken out most of the shriekers, but there were still a few here and there. Amith sliced at another creature but was mostly watching the beast, it seemed like it wasn't into feasting on them but she would not let her guard down.

She kicked off some more shirekers off of there back still the best did nothing? What was this beast an why did it not attack. Then she was given the answer to fast for her liking. The beast suddenly seamed to be gone. That only made her more nervous than before. â€œGo back to the higher ground now!â€ Then the beast hit her on her side, its claws being the only thing that could be seen digging into her. Her dagger still flowing around her finger tips a she stabs the thing she did not know how many of times. Falling to the ground as she was let go of. Blood seamed to be everywhere. On she moved. Her eyes looking to the jail house at the top. In her mind she went into the map of this place. The jail house was one of the few underground houses. The only one that could even keep her. â€œ Go to the jail house.â€ The beast appeared again as she looked at it. Its paw was hurt but the beast seamed to not mind as it smiled. Yes it smiled at her. She could feel her body wanting to give out on her still she pushed herself. She always pushed herself. That was when the beast disappeared again. Closing her eyes so then she could feel where the thing went this time. It was not around her nor the women. â€œ Watch out for that beast!â€ She called to the others but it was to late. One of the members was missing and she could only guess what happened to that man. On she moved as they started to reach the top of the hill. The women with the hurt arm still beside her it seamed. She looked for the beast as it was not very hard to find it at the moment. An on it looked at her with that same sinister smile.

Logged

A step behind time. A step behind reason. Only in her mind. For she was before time and before reason. Counting a head. The only way she stays alive.

As the last of the shriekers collapsed, it's innard sliding out of the wicked gashes in it's body Pantera felt the warform sliding away, her mundane flesh reasserting itself. The dance of death had ended and though there was no applause and no audience, the tingling aroma of fear was enough to send shudders along her spine. The claws terminated, receding until they were her normal fingernails. She moved away, letting the protean power of her anima hide her as she scurried inside one of the buildings. She shivvered, leaning her back against the cool stone.

She didn't know what had killed the people in this city, but it's death rattle had been strong enough to draw her from her demense. She wanted that power for herself. If she could wield such power, her shaping charms could crack stone and splinter trees the same way that the slash of her claws forever rended flesh. The warm weight of the hearthstone dangling between her breasts reminded her that Rakshastan was far far away, and that she was an outsider here.

For the moment, it helped that the locals seemed to have believed her lies...

She pulled herself to keep moving. “Yes I’m fine we must keep moving.” On she placed one foot in front of the other. Her blood running down her side as she moved. She had to push herself. Always she was pushing herself. “Ama...Lilla…Maria” she called out the names of her sisters in order of youngest to the elder. They where part of the reason why she was here today doing what she was doing. Her hair flowed around her shoulders as she thought back to them. Only Maria looked anything like her. The other two had bright golden blonde hair. On she thought about her family in till she reached the place she wanted to go. An it was a first time that she ever wanted to go to a place like this. They where at the jail's door. She looked upon it almost studding it in a way. Yes this was the right one. Trying the door but it wouldn’t budge. She shacks her head softly as she took out her lock picks. It might take a little e longer than she wanted still she knew that this was the safest place in the town. An that was where she could also get bandages to cleans herself up. “They maybe gone for now…the sirekers… but trust me other things come out with the night. We need to get inside” Her hands started fumbling with the lock.

The sounds of the battle had not penetrated the dilapadated building's walls, but when the woman walked up and began to fumble with the lock, a faint echo went through, and it was enough to wake the young man inside from his sleep. He sat up slowly, looking about with his steel blue eyes, then he yawned a bit, clutching the hilt of a sword as he got up. The blade was long, about four feet, and curved slightly, with a vicious looking blade that was serrated in a few places, and made of a pure black metal that nearly seemed to suck the light from the air around it. His skin was alabaster white, and his hair as well, his eyes being the only place where there was any true color. A cold glint ran down the length of the sword, and he listened for a moment, then shook his head."I don't know, Xiphi... I'll see though, I'm sure it's fine."He stood, setting the sword on a clasp at his hip, and pushed his longish hair back behind his shoulder before he walked over to the door and unlocked it from the inside - where the key actually was. He had gotten it from one of the people in town, apparently this building was no longer in use.He pulled the door open quietly, and looked out, seeing several rather ragged looking people."Um.... hello?"

OOC: sorry that sucked but my mom is freaking out I have to leave

Logged

"Now I did a job, and got nothin' but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job, and then I get paid."

"... but if your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you"

Just when she was about to give up on the lock the door opened. Her ocean blue eyes looked to the man before her as he seamed to hold hardly any cooler other than his eyes. They where not an ocean blue like herself but more of a steal blue. Or something as cold as ice. â€œCan you let us in.â€ She tried to keep her pride by holding herself up but the world seamed to be spinning. On it spins faster and faster in till she had to grasp a hold of the doorknob so then she would not fall to the ground. Her hand holding on to her side as she smiled softly. â€œ I guess it was a little deeper than I thoughtâ€¦â€ Closing her eyes so then she did not see the things around her dancing in her eyes. Then suddenly she started falling to the ground. The world was black and she could see nothing. Hear nothing.

Logged

A step behind time. A step behind reason. Only in her mind. For she was before time and before reason. Counting a head. The only way she stays alive.

He blinked a little, looking into the woman's eyes, like his, yet so very different. He stepped back and opened the door further, nodding."Um... of course, I guess..."His sword gleamed dimly for a moment, and he looked down at it.She's hurt bad, Acer...He nodded, and his eyes widened as she fell, he caught her, startled."Hurt worse than you thought..."Carefully, he pulled her over to the blankets where he was laying before and set her down, then he ran to the door and outside, motioning to the others he saw coming. They were running from something...?"Everyone, if you need shelter you'd best come in and hurry!"He got such a sense of urgency from all this... Xiphi was worried as well, nearly trembling in her sheath. They might have to fight again... his eyes looked around for any threat, but there didnt seem to be anything at the moment...

Logged

"Now I did a job, and got nothin' but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job, and then I get paid."

"... but if your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you"

Moraten made sure everyone else was safely inside before shutting the door and leaning against it. "Thank you for allowing us shelter," he said. He hadn't known the man was here, but it looked like he'd been here for a while. And the wounded woman talked like she had been here for some time. Maybe his ladies had managed to stay alive for the five days they'd been separated. He regarded the girl's wound professionally. "I have some small skill in treating injuries, though I am no doctor. If one of you is more competent in this field, now is the time to speak."

Amithranial rushed through the door with the others, replacing her sword in it sheath. She used her left hand to rummage through the pack on her right hip as blood ran down her arm, dripping off her finger tips. She removed a pouch and pulled it open using her teeth. Sitting down on the floor near the other girl she pulled some shreaded bark out and examined it between her fingers. She gave a slight nod and put it back into the pouch and gave it to the the man. "This will help prevent infection. She could use it more then I." Amith pulled out an old scrap of cloth and began wiping the blood off of her starting with her hand. The bitemarks around her upper arm were deeper then she thought but nothing terribly dangerous, just terribly painful. She pulled out her waterskin and poured a bit upon the wound and then drank a sip herself. Wiping and dabbing with the red saturated cloth she inspected the wound, poking her fingertips into the gashes slightly to make sure there were no teeth broken off in there it continued to bleed. Amith made no indication to her pain except for her tensly clenched jaw and her knit brows as she held the rag over the wound giving it pressure. "Will she be alright?" she huffed

Hot and then suddenly cold. On her flashes went in the darkness. â€œAmaâ€¦Lilla...Mariaâ€ she called out to them as she always did when she was sick. They where her guiding light when she was in darkness and right then it was pitch black. Then she started to open her eyes as he was now laying down. How did I get here? Then she could recall everything. How she was hurt and what slashed into her. Shivering softly as she wetted her dry lips. â€œ Iâ€™ll be fineâ€¦I have had worse.â€ Her voce was dry as was her lips. Trying to push herself up but a new wave of dizziness struck her. Well thatâ€™s not a good idea. She thought mockingly to herself. Her hand ran along her wound that was gashed into her side. Like the other women feeling for anything trapped inside her skin. Fumbling with her finger tips with her own pack taking out some bottles as she called out to them â€œI canâ€™t open the glass bottles if you would be so kind as to open them I would be grateful.â€ How she hated she could not help herself at that moment.

Logged

A step behind time. A step behind reason. Only in her mind. For she was before time and before reason. Counting a head. The only way she stays alive.

Acer frowned a little bit, and walked back to the door, only to find that someone had shut it as soon as he walked out. "Hey!"He pulled the door back open and shut it again, shaking his head. Nice of them. Xiphi giggled a bit at his side, and he told her to be quiet, didn't need that right now... their little safehouse was suddenly rather crowded. It wasnt that he minded the company... but someone always found things out that he would rather they didn't... or they tried to steal his sister. Neither of those were acceptable... still, the one woman was hurt, and he had to do something..."I can help her, if you like..."He looked at the small group, then walked over and knelt by the woman, pulling ths gloves off his alabaster skin, but he didnt do anything just yet."She's hurt fairly bad but I can fix it... unless you'd rather I stay away."That seemed likely. After all, he didnt look even remotely human - he had the right body shape, his ears werent even pointed or anything, but the total lack of color gave it away. He wasnt pale. he was white, like fresh fallen snow, and his hair was almost transparent from lack of color.

Logged

"Now I did a job, and got nothin' but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job, and then I get paid."

"... but if your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you"

She looked up into his eyes. Shocked to find out his eyes where like her own. Then again not at all like hers at all. She nodded softly as she whispers â€œplease do what you can I wish to be up and moving as soon as possible.â€ Her jet-black hair flowing down her shoulders but still she could see the blood panted on her finger tips as she seamed to still be bleeding. He did not seam human but then again she was not fully human as well.Closing her eyes as she could feel herself being pulled away from them. Still she tried to fight the blackness closing in around her â€œ Maria..Amaâ€¦Lillaâ€ she whispered before she was again lost into her mind. Her body sweating as she could see the slave traders trying to get a hold of her sisters. On she ran to them her sword seamed to be bleeding itself. Flashes of the burning house where her mother was crying out for them to run. â€œ I must run..runâ€¦â€ On and on she mumbled the names of her sisters in her fever.

Logged

A step behind time. A step behind reason. Only in her mind. For she was before time and before reason. Counting a head. The only way she stays alive.

Acer nodded a little bit, but Xiphi was worried.Be careful, brother... don't use all of your power, we can't both wind up this way...He shook his head, and placed one hand on the woman's head, and the other over her stomach.I'll be fine, Xiphi... this won't drain me so badly. I've been resting all day, recharging, I'll be fine. And besides, you can help me if it gets bad.She agreed, and his eyes began to glow. The skin over his hands glowed, then turned into what looked like mercury or liquid silver, and thin tendrils of it pierced into her skin over the wounds. They moved through her bloodstream, driving out the shards and the fever that was inside, feeling as if ice water was running through her veins the whole time. Finally, the silvery liquids receeded back into his hands, and pe pulled them off her, looking slightly tired. She, however, would be fine, if shaken from his... unusual method of treatment. Not many people were used to being treated by intelligent metal... "There... I have done all i can..."The silvery sheen on his hands faded, back into marble colored skin, and he sat back against the wall, resting his hand on the black blade at his side.

Logged

"Now I did a job, and got nothin' but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job, and then I get paid."

"... but if your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you"

Moraten gave a low whistle from where he was leaning against the wall. "That was impressive, sir." But he didn't say anything else. He had seen much that was similarly impressive, and if it came down to it, they hadn't seen everything he could do yet. He made a small, oddly formal bow. "I am Moraten Li. I am searching for two companions that I was separated from five days ago. May I inquire as to who the rest of you are?"

Pantera smiled, the tiger fangs having reverted to normal human teeth. She walked up to Moraten, "My name is Pantera, and I'd be willing to help you find your friends. My own friends are missing and I have no idea where they might be, not being from here and all." She said. She let her eyes wander across the group, but something about Acer drew her attention.

It wasnt the obvious power that pulsed through his metallic body. No that wasnt ti. Deep in the marches she had seen things that were much stranger than intelligent metal. Compared to a swarm of raindrops that could sting like hornets, and whose drone could render the mind to sludge, such things were almost normal. It was his pattern. The endless repetition of shape and form that permeated his very being. Standing close to him was like standing next to a glacier, the very coldness of his pattern tore at the primal chaos that composed her own ephemeral body.

She gave him a cool look, deciding the keep her distance at all times. No need to be hasty...

Her finger tips touched his hand as she smiled. â€œThank you for you kindness..â€ her voce was the same tempo and feel to it as it always was. She remembered that a long time back when they let this man into the city. She was studding it for her next hit. Yes she had guessed what was going to happen. An why did she do nothing? Three towns back she had tried to warn them of what was to come. What was going to happen to there town. An what did they do to thank her? Placed her in a cell. She worked with the locks but by the time she had reached the town again everything was dead and the things had taken over already. So what more could she do other than move on. It was ahead of her then. Now she was right in the middle. The first time she watched them she studied there movements. There actions changed with each town. Lifting herself up from the blankets as she smiled softly. â€œAll here in one peace?â€ She shacks her head and ran her nails into her jet-black hair. â€œ We will have to stay here for the night. The things are harder to see. I am Snake...â€ she looked and studied there faces. Had they heard of her? She hoped not for it would just make it harder on her to do her job.

Logged

A step behind time. A step behind reason. Only in her mind. For she was before time and before reason. Counting a head. The only way she stays alive.

He nodded to them all, then smiled just a little at the woman, glad she was both okay and grateful... some weren't so nice..."You're welcome..."He looked about at them all, wondering what it was they were looking for. Odd... friends? Lost? Then how had the woman been harmed...?"Well, I'm Acer, and this..."he put his hand on the hilt of the black sword"Is my sister, Xiphi. We were just staying the night here... what are you all hiding from anyway?"

Logged

"Now I did a job, and got nothin' but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job, and then I get paid."

"... but if your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you"

Blood saturated the cloth quickly. Amith got up quietly while everybody was preoccupied with the other wounded person. She was glad they wern't wasting their time and pity on her, she could take care of herself. She looked around for something else to put over her arm. She found a slightly dirty white pillow case on the floor with an upturned matress and some sheets, probably from one of the cells. Amith pulled a knife out and cut the pillow case into strips. She awkwardly bandaged the arm tightly with few strips of cloth and used her teeth to help her left hand tie the knot. Putting the rest of the strips into her pack she grabbed the dusty sheet off the floor and brought it over by the others. "You can make her some bandages out of this, It would be best to cover that wound so we can keep moving." Amithranial dropped it onto the bed next to the girl and sat in the corner. She too was drained, dry blood clung to her right arm, her bandages were slowly turning crimsion but it did not bother her. "Who knows, maybe there's an aide kit around here somewhere." Amith leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, listening to all around her. Somehow this always calmed and soothed the half-elf.

Mordrixxl stepped out of a shadowy alley wrapped in a thick black cloak. Slowly, a much shorter and similarly cloaked figure stepped up beside him and remained quiet. Mordrixxl sighed inwardly at the scene before him. The group fighting off the shriekers was too distant to see him or his slave at the moment. Kneeling over the dead couple at his feet, Mordrixxl pulled back his hood to reveal his putrid visage. The lich's eyes were pure black and contrasted with his pasty white and rotted face. Mordrixxl reached down to the cold blood pooled up under the young man's head lying before him. The man would be considered average in these parts. The dead man had shoulder length brown hair, matched by brown eyes and a youthful face. He was about average height and weight and looked rather commen. The man had worn a simple brown leather tunic and breaches covered by a tattered brown hunting cloak. After looking over the young man, Mordrixxl extending the long, filthy, finger nail on his left index finger and scraped up some of the blood quickly bringing it back into his inky black mouth. The essence of the blood did not reveal what the lich was looking for and he swore softly under his breath. Quickly he looked to the figure on his side and shook his head. "Be silent slave...it is hard enough to think without your ignorant prattle interupting my thoughts." Inwardly Mordixxl debated his next move. It was impossible to tell if extinction of the city's people had come at the hand of his rival or not. Sindrachh was a bold lich no doubt...but he wasn't stupid enough to murder an entire city belonging to the king. Knowing his last thought made the most sense still wasn't enough to convince Mordrixxl that his enemy wasn't behind this in some fashion. "More investigation is needed. Perhaps...yes." the last was said more to himself than the creature standing beside him. Reaching down, the lich cut away the dead man's ear with a small blade and brought it up before his face. "Sizzthock...tu vintay....chamelionizza...Sizzthock" chanted the lich. As the spell took hold, Mordrixxl bit his own tongue and spit his vile blood on the ear held before him. The ear began to give off a dark colored smoke as the lich began to chant the same words faster and faster. As the ear was consumed by the dark thick smoke, Mordixxl quickly shoved it into his mouth and slowly backed into the shadows of the alley he had originally emerged from. His slave did not follow, but instead watched his retreat and waited quietly. By this time the group fighting the shriekers had made it to the safe house and all sounds of battle had silenced. Finally a form emerged once again from the darkness of the alley. Concealed in the exact form of the dead man he took the ear from, Mordrixxl took a few shakey steps towards his slave. As he came closer his footing became stronger. Reaching a hand up in the direction of his slave, Mordrixxl silent mouthed a few phrases. With a shriek of horror his slave exploded into dust. At the center of this dust hung a glowing red ora. Quickly this glowing mist gathered around the lich and seemed to enter his body. With a steadying breath the lich looked up as the twin of the dead man lying before him with the exception of the pupiless black eyes. A quick blink of the eyes changed that and the disguise was now complete. It took only a moment to remove the dead man's clothing to add more realism to his disguise. With a small smile, Mordrixxl turned towards the safehouse and made his way slowly and quietly. As neared the doorway he uttered another phrase under his breath and instantly fourth clawed lacerations appeared across his left shoulder. Instanly, red blood began oozing from the created injury. He would appear to be another survivor from the shrieker attack, nothing more. His newly formed plan was simple. He would use the party to conceal his presence and continue his investigation. The extra sets of eyes would provide more insite into what had befallen the city. And should Sindrachh still lurk somewhere in the city....well....the group would most certainly die. But......... the distraction caused by their deaths would buy him enough time to destroy the more powerful lich. As Mordrixxl knocked weakly on the safehouse door, he felt extremely confindent that the situation had just changed for the better. He staggered slightly to make a more dramatic effect. Smooth confidence was replaced by sheer terror as he fell into the role he would be playing. ((OOC: Sorry for the somewhat long intro...wanted to ensure everyone got a feel for what this lich is about. ))

Logged

"How is it that you claim me to be an assassin..(paused in thought)....have I killed you before?"\

She looked to the door as she shacks her head softly. She herself knew better than to let anyone in. Still what if there was another man out there hurt. Or even a child. It was a risk she knew that she and the rest of them would just have to take. Walking over to the door with her finger tips already drawing out one of her many of daggers. Her jet-black hair flowed to the side as she opened to door and what did she see other than a man. His arm was bleeding but still she held a bad feeling about it. Saying nothing as she opened the door for him to come on in. â€œ There where shriekers attacking us on the out side. As well as some other thingsâ€¦.â€ Nodding to the man to let him in and as soon as he did she closed the door behind him. On she moved back with bits of pain still throbbing in her side but she could handle it now. Looking onto the man she could only study him. He seamed just like the rest of them. Then againâ€¦ thatâ€™s what he would want them to think? She trusted no one. No even the man and women she was fighting side by side with. It seamed that they where all holding secretes.

(( Ooc: lols I don't know if it is just me but I love long intro's...anyway welcome to Slumber))

Logged

A step behind time. A step behind reason. Only in her mind. For she was before time and before reason. Counting a head. The only way she stays alive.